Mary Marauders

The Marauders are the athletic teams that represent the University of Mary, located in Bismarck, North Dakota, in NCAA Division II intercollegiate sports. The Marauders compete as members of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference[1] for all 16 varsity sports . The University also is home to an ACHA men's hockey team.[2] As of November 11, 2019, the University of Mary has discontinued their men's soccer program after 25 seasons of playing in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference.[3]

Marauders (University of Mary)
UniversityUniversity of Mary
ConferenceNorthern Sun Intercollegiate Conference
NCAADivision II
Athletic directorDale Lennon
LocationBismarck, North Dakota
Varsity teams17
Football stadiumMDU Resources Bowl
Basketball arenaMcDowell Activity Center
Baseball stadiumBismarck Municipal Ballpark
Soccer stadiumMDU Resources Bowl
MascotMaximus
NicknameMarauders
Websitewww.goumary.com

University of Mary Marauders Athletics

The University of Mary is a member of NCAA Division II and the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference and offers nine varsity sports for women and eight for men.

The "Marauders" as Mascot
Msgr. James Shea, seated at the statue of the Monk and Marauder in the Crow's Nest

The mascot or nickname "Marauders" was chosen by a selection process of the student body in the early 1970s. Dr. Timothy George, prominent theologian and founding Dean of Beeson Divinity School, offered commentary on the choice of this mascot for a Christian, Catholic school in an essay published in First Things in 2014, "Mary on the Prairie."[4] In 2017 the University unveiled in its campus restaurant a life-sized statue of a Marauder as a barbary corsair absorbed in conversation with Saint John of Matha. In 2018 the mascot was dubbed "Maximus," a nod to Maximus the Confessor.

Marauders History

Athletics at the University of Mary began in 1970 when Fritz Fell was brought on board to start a men's basketball program. Al Bortke succeeded Fell in 1973 as the men's basketball coach and athletic director and over the next 36 years would develop an athletic program that enjoyed tremendous success at the NAIA level and later in NCAA Division II. After achieving a record of 335-156 in 16 years as the men's basketball coach[5] that included 11 20-win seasons, Bortke became U-Mary's first full-time athletic director in 1989. During Bortke's tenure, Mary grew from one varsity sport (men's basketball) to as many as 19 and the Marauders athletic program became a national power in the NAIA. A member of both the Marauders and NAIA athletic halls of fame, Bortke spearheaded the University of Mary's move to NCAA Division II.

Varsity sports

Teams

References
  1. , NSIC - www.northernsun.org
  2. , GoUMary.com
  3. "University of Mary to discontinue its men's soccer program". University of Mary Athletics. Retrieved 2020-03-06.
  4. "Mary on the Prairie", First Things
  5. "Al Bortke (1937 - 2015) Obituary". Parkway Funeral & Cremation Service. Bismarck. 2015. Retrieved 24 December 2020.
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